January 17, 2019

October 12, 2018

We have a saying: Pets are “rescued by love, and saved by shelter medicine.” No kitty illustrates that quite as well as Insta-famous cat Smush, who has been part of #FeelGoodFriday once before, when we shared her powerful (but tiny!) story. To recap: A tiny little kitten with a cleft palate came into a Florida… Learn More

June 22, 2018

This spotted dog had a rough start on life, including an accident that left him injured on the streets. Fortunately, the Maple Woods Veterinary Technician program in Kansas City, MO, took him into their adoption program, where he got all the veterinary care and love he needed. Sadly, he turned out to have cancer with… Learn More

April 6, 2018

Think life as a blind kitty would be hard or depressing? Nah! In fact, life for Petunia and Frito is all about the toys and games — ones that make noise, natch, so they can chase, catch, swat, run, and otherwise get the exercise and enrichment every kitty needs and deserves. Their swanky digs and… Learn More

April 3, 2018

A Virginia animal shelter is in the process of developing an official foster program. In the meantime, they’ve become creative in how they discuss options with potential adopters, staff and volunteers — and are getting more dogs into homes because of it! Dyanna Uchiek is Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator at Chesapeake Animal Services, in Chesapeake,… Learn More

Kristen Auerbach, Mike Kaviani, Clare CallisonMarch 2018

Experts present the essential programs, best practices, and core philosophies needed to start saving the big dogs in your communities. Think of this presentation as the key ingredients needed to move towards and achieve 90% for your community's dogs.

Kristen HansenMarch 2018

Tens of thousands of cats are euthanized each year solely because they have been diagnosed with ringworm. This workshop provides you with information on how to identify, house, and treat cats infected with ringworm.

Carrie MorrisMarch 2018

Through a partnership with Best Friends Animal Society, Austin Pets Alive! embarked on a six-month pilot program to test the effectiveness of Canine Good Citizen Training on adoption rates. The results have been jaw-dropping!

Casandra MensingMarch 2018

Austin Pets Alive! (APA) has saved over 7,500 neonatal kittens since 2009. In this two-part presentation, you'll learn how to start and build a bottle baby nursery, plus how to create a foster network for neonates. This is part one: How to start and build a bottle baby nursery

Gloria HudsonMarch 2018

Austin Pets Alive! (APA) has saved over 7,500 neonatal kittens since 2009. In this is a two-part presentation, you'll learn how to start and build a bottle baby nursery, plus how to create a foster network for neonates. This is part two: How to create a foster network for neonates.

March 27, 2018

Do you want to get more senior dogs and cats adopted? A new study reports that, to accomplish that goal, animal shelters and rescue organizations need to provide health care to pets already in the shelter, as well as veterinary support to help keep older pets in the homes they already have — whether it’s permanently,… Learn More

January 5, 2018

A tiny little kitten with a cleft palate came into a Florida animal control shelter last summer. She wasn’t eating on her own, and needed to be syringe-fed every four hours. She had an upper respiratory infection and a bad case of ringworm. But this is Feel Good Friday, so of course, her story has… Learn More

December 21, 2017

A little dog named Roo taught everyone at Maddie’s Fund a lot. She showed us what happens when courage meets compassion, demonstrated the power of taking chances, and wrote a new chapter in the story of saving lives. This valiant dog finished her work on earth this month, and the Maddie’s Fund family mourns her… Learn More

December 13, 2017

What do you do when your shelter offers short-term “holiday” dog-fostering over Thanksgiving, and nearly half of those dogs fostered get adopted including seniors, a shy dog and other long-term residents? If you’re the Humane Society of Delaware County (HSDC) in Ohio, you start gearing up for the #FalalaFoster season, of course! "Seeing pictures of an… Learn More

September 27, 2017

October is a special month for America's first cat café, Cat Town in Oakland, CA. Not only is it the anniversary month of when they first opened their café space three years ago, but they'll also be celebrating the grand opening of their expanded adoption space! The Grand Opening will take place on Sunday, October… Learn More

August 2017

Though emphasis on dogs as individuals and a commitment to knowing each dog as thoroughly as they can, Austin Pets Alive! eases the process for potential adopters and is able to find homes for even the most difficult to place dogs. Learn More

August 22, 2017

“Ramp up your medical programs for seniors, folks – soon enough you’ll be seeing far more of those than adoption age kittens.” Those words were posted by Karina King, Director of Operations for the Dakin Humane Society, on a Million Cat Challenge discussion forum. For communities at the height of their kitten season, the thought… Learn More

May 2, 2017

Can you place medium and large dogs with behavioral problems in foster homes and see their behavior improve? Can those dogs eventually be adopted into permanent homes? And can all of that be done safely? Those were the objectives of a 22-month long study conducted by Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Virginia. The result? A… Learn More

March 30, 2017

There’s an important tool to help in the fight against puppy mill puppies sold through pet stores: They’re more likely to be aggressive with their owners, strangers and other dogs. They’re also more fearful and suffer more from separation anxiety. In a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and led… Learn More

March 22, 2017

No matter where you live, you probably remember hearing the heart-wrenching story (and photo) of the staffie-mix dog found with her muzzle taped shut. Her name is Caitlyn and her story of survival went viral, shining a light on animal cruelty. Nearly two years after she was found that day in Charleston, SC, Caitlyn has… Learn More

January 31, 2017

Animal shelters dread it: the death of a single kitten in a litter from feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). How much risk are the littermates at of becoming ill? Should they be kept in isolation from other cats, and if so, for how long? Should they be adopted out? If so, when? And what do you… Learn More

November 23, 2016

When Sherri Franklin started Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, she not only wanted to rescue senior dogs, but also change the way the world perceived and treated them. Just nine short years later, with over 4,200 senior dogs saved, and a nomination for CNN's Hero of the Year award, it's safe to say she's done just that.… Learn More

Kristen AuerbachAugust 2016

Has your shelter struggled to achieve live outcomes for dogs who display common behavioral challenges like kennel stress, barrier reactivity and fear-based aggression? Learn how you could turn that around and save more dogs lives. Learn More

August 24, 2016

What's the definition of the perfect dog? Depends on who you ask. But one thing was for sure – I knew I wasn't it. Unless the definition was "an anxious ten year old Jack Russell terrier mix who chases his tail and doesn't get along with other dogs" but I'm smarter than that. It only took… Learn More

August 9, 2016

How much of the “conventional wisdom” about adoption and foster programs makes sense, and how much of it just keeps your organization from saving as many animals as it could? That was the question on Sherri Franklin’s mind as she first created Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, a San Francisco organization that has saved thousands of… Learn More

July 20, 2016

He became famous as “the most terrible dog in the world.” Now he’s a therapy dog. How did that happen? When you're transformed by love, it seems anything is possible. Even for Eddie the Terrible. In celebration of National Anti-boredom Month, we're dubbing Eddie (now Teddy) the least boring dog in the world! Now happy… Learn More

June 1, 2016

Learn how to start and run a community cat relocation program, how to use low stress humane trapping methods for community cats, and how to evaluate community cats to determine if they are best suited for a relocation program. This course will help you determine the best low stress housing options for community cats in your program, and how to successfully find and talk to relocation adopters.

May 2016

March 24, 2016

It’s the most important step you can take to help a newly adopted puppy mill dog adjust, say experts: If you don’t already have one, get another dog. While patience is the quality most needed by puppy mill rescue adopters, research conducted by Dr. Frank McMillan and presented at the University of Florida Maddie’s® Shelter… Learn More

March 23, 2016

She’s a dog who “looks like a cute hobo.” She’s the darling of the fashion world. She’s a spokesdog for shelter pet adoption. And she’s a puppy mill survivor. We’re talking about Toast Meets World, the adorable, tongue-lolling, sunglasses-wearning dog who has Instagram eating out of the palm of her paw. When she was suggested… Learn More

March 10, 2016

Would you like local veterinarians to help foster orphaned kittens for your rescue group or shelter? Would the clinics be more willing to participate if they were offered some PR support? Or are you a veterinary practice that is already fostering kittens, or would like to, but could use some help getting them adopted, as… Learn More

February 29, 2016

Want a dog’s-eye view of why they call it Leap Day and not extra day or something like that? I have a theory. As three-legged dog, I’m familiar with the physical act of leaping. But after the past six months, I also know a thing or two about metaphoric leaping. See, I think Leap Day… Learn More

February 11, 2016

Ah, Valentine's Day. You either love it, or you loathe it — am I right? I'll be the first to admit I used loathe it (with a capital L!). But it turns out my true Valentine was named Suzanne. I probably don’t need to, but allow me to introduce myself. I’m Vinny. That’s right, the infamous… Learn More

December 23, 2015

A little dog who found her home at last shares the true meaning of Christmas Spirit! Is it tough to have the Christmas spirit? Do you sometimes feel a little blue this time of year? If you had asked me this last year, I could have said yes. No one would have blamed me. Waiting… Learn More

November 12, 2015

How likely is it that a senior pet can adapt to ending up in a shelter, being pulled by a rescue group, placed into one or more foster homes, and finally adopted — with a few stops at adoption events long the way? Almost guaranteed, says Sherri Franklin, who’s definitely in a position to know.… Learn More

October 6, 2015

Animal organizations have done a pretty good job of destigmatizing FIV-positive cats, and adopters have begun welcoming them into their families in larger numbers than could have been imagined 20 years ago. But cats who test positive for feline leukemia (FeLV) don’t fare as well in the hands of adoption groups. Is it time to… Learn More

September 29, 2015

Can a dog who’s had something terrible happen to her not only try to protect herself from that same thing happening in the future, but the other dogs she lives with, too? She can if she’s Casey the Wonderdog! Being in humane work for the past 36 years, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing my… Learn More

Cynthia D. Delany and Kelly LeeMay 2015

Because people in animal welfare often see terrible things befall pets,
and because of genuine concern for the animals, we've sometimes gone
overboard in terms of regulating, requiring, constraining, screening and
even getting in the way of successful adoptions. Learn More

Leala Ward-VinsonFebruary 2015

Take a look into the ways that advocacy on individual and community levels can have a positive impact on treating all dogs equally, eliminating breed-related stigmas, abolishing outdated policies and improving the chances for targeted breeds to find homes and their families access to resources. Learn More

Lindsey OrtizFebruary 2015

Take a look into the ways that advocacy on individual and community levels can have a positive impact on treating all dogs equally, eliminating breed-related stigmas, abolishing outdated policies and improving the chances for targeted breeds to find homes and their families access to resources. Learn More

Palmer NeuhausFebruary 2015

Fifty percent of the dogs in Austin, Texas were dying in 2008 when Austin Pets Alive! began saving lives. The rescue team had merely one- to two-hours to go through the euthanasia list, choose animals and save them before their time was up. Learn how the rescue team evaluated and chose dogs. Learn More

Marian Cannell and Amy LewisFebruary 2015

Through a partnership with Best Friends Animal Society, Austin Pets Alive! embarked on a six-month pilot program to test the effectiveness of Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Training on adoption rates. The results have been very good and show a clear adoption rate difference between dogs who undergo training and those who don’t. Learn More

Faith Wright and Deaven WilsonFebruary 2015

Do you know how many small breed dogs are euthanized in your community shelter? In Austin, Texas in 2008, it was many more than would have been expected (roughly 500). Do you know that nearly ALL of them can be saved and although many are marked "aggressive”, they rarely are? Learn More

Katie Kresek and Alexis Bardzinksi, DVMFebruary 2015

Parvovirus is a major killer of dogs and puppies in shelters. Austin Pets Alive! built the first parvo ward that actively takes parvo-positive dogs from the community and other shelters for treatment and then placement. Learn More

Elizabeth Doyle and Summer HugginsFebruary 2015

Marketing dogs, especially hard-to-place dogs, is an art form as well as a systematic process. Learn how to create a winning system utilizing a volunteer force, as well as how to write effectively about those dogs to get adoption applications coming in. Learn More

Casandra MensingFebruary 2015

In this is a two-part presentation, you’ll learn how to start and build a bottle baby nursery, plus how to create a foster network for neonates. In Part 1, Casandra Mensing will share her experience running APA!’s Nursery, from its meager beginnings to the groundbreaking phenomenon that it is today.
Learn More

Rachel Sherinian February 2015

In this is a two-part presentation, you’ll learn how to start and build a bottle baby nursery, plus how to create a foster network for neonates. In Part 2, Rachel Sherinian will focus In finding, training, and retaining specialized foster families for kittens, whether you have a nursery or not.
Learn More

Monica FrendenFebruary 2015

Too many cats, not enough adopters? Supersize your cat adoption program! In this Level 2 seminar, you'll learn how to manage a population of hundreds of cats in varying stages of your organization.
Learn More

Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, Caitlin QuinnMay 2014

Shelter medicine teams have the opportunity to take the lead in utilizing innovative adoption policies to save more lives. Cutting-edge research reveals that we should focus our efforts on breed-neutral best practices with proven effectiveness to make policy and adoption decisions, rather than relying on breed. Learn More

Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, Caitlin QuinnMay 2014

Innovations in the way we consider marketing adoptions in shelters mean that everyone has the opportunity to put on their PR hat - including medical team members! Once breed-neutral policies are in place, learn how to implement strategies that decrease barriers to adoption and increase live outcomes. Learn More

Susan Krebsbach, DVMOctober 2011

Dr. Susan Krebsbach, veterinary specialist in behavior with over 20 years' experience working with animal shelters, talks at the Purdue/Maddie's Shelter Medicine Symposium 2011 about senior pets in animal shelters and how to get them adopted. Learn More